John F Kennedy memorabilia: Why investors are buying now

Investors looking to take a more diverse approach to their portfolios in 2012 are finding exciting opportunities open to them in the John F Kennedy memorabilia sector.

The former US president, shot dead while in his prime, is among the most sought after figures in the collectibles markets.

The great affection the US public had for their president, the hope he offered them, and the world's shock at his death, all contribute to his prominent position at auctions and in private sales.

The upcoming 50th anniversary of his death in 1963 is expected to spark a surge of interest in Kennedy and his memorabilia, which is why many investors are buying now.

In 2010, five X-rays of Kennedy's pelvis sold for $28,125 at a US sale, while later this month the hearse that carried Kennedy's body to Air Force One following his assassination in Dallas is coming to auction with great fanfare.

It is expected to far exceed the $120,000 achieved in 2011 for the ambulance purported to have transported his body from Air Force One to the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. The ambulance's provenance is hotly debated.

Those looking to invest at the more modest end of the market also have options open to them. We currently have one of the rarest and most sought after pieces of John F Kennedy memorabilia: a campaign poster from his 1960 run for office.

His autograph is also highly valued by John F Kennedy memorabilia collectors. According to the PFC40 Autograph Index, the average value of Kennedy's signature has grown from £1,850 ($2,840) in 2000 to £7,500 ($11,510) today, at a rate of 13.57% pa. Outstandingly rare and important examples can achieve much more.

The last signature Kennedy gave, on the morning of his death, made $38,837 at a US auction in 2009.